Reclaim the Name: Atheist and Proud

A large majority of atheists I know in the US refuse to refer to themselves as atheist, only because of the social stigma attached to the word and I feel this is a shame; it's a valid point, but still a shame.

We are often subject to such unfair generalizations as being without morals, selfish and even evil, and are discriminated against in many parts of the US.

People are afraid to "come out" for fear losing their job, or if they own a business they fear great losses in profit. Some people fear the loss of loved ones, friends and family who would shun and ostracize them because of a sense of religious duty, others fear being berated or constantly preached at by those who demand we respect their religious choices, but wont respect ours.

These fears are justified, it is not uncommon for atheists to be discriminated against and judged by believers of all faiths, due mostly to a misunderstanding of the definition of the word, and being brought up in a religion that teaches that we are generally immoral, or even in extreme cases, that we are actively trying to destroy religious freedoms and religion itself.

It is only through patient education that we can hope to find acceptance, this is why some of us have banded together to "Reclaim the Name" to raise awareness on the strides atheist and other secular groups are taking to help others, and to educate people on the meaning of the word "atheist" in order to detach the stigma that has been attached to it and encourage a more accepting view of the atheist community as a whole.

I'm crap at being in the closet. If I were still Catholic, I'd be a pathological confessor. Sometimes I want to shout it from the mountaintop. Select people know. Despite my desire to be open about my atheism, I can't be 100% out. Being out as bisexual is enough of a challenge. My tenuous ability to support myself and my connection to my family are too important at this point in my life for me to endanger them. Maybe...once I've become more independent, I won't worry so much about these consequences. I support those who do come out...for what that is worth.